So many fun and exciting things in the works for 2026. Running and biking and SWIMMING (what the heck!) But two of the things I am most excited about have nothing to do with my personal running and fitness.

In 2026 I am starting my second year being on the board of the Southern Tier Running Club (STRC) again. Our running club has many fun things going on as always. But for me personally I have the most excitement for the things that are in my wheelhouse. And that is trail and ultra running.

Last year STRC put on their first trail event in a long time, STRC Trailfest at Newtown Battlefield. We kept it super low key. No swag. We hand timed the event ourselves. And we combined it with our annual picnic for some fun post race socializing. And we pulled that event off with only getting the details planned and registration open a month before the event.

STRC Trailfest at Newtown Battlefield State Park was a success in 2025. This year we are bringing the event back and. We are making it better than ever. I am the person on our board who love trail running so I am heading up our trail running events and Race Director for this year’s two offerings.

STRAC Trailfest Newtown: 2026

The Newtown BAttlefield event will once again be a 3 hour loop course timed event. WE will run the same loop at in 2025. It is about a 1.25 mile loop with around 300 ft off elevation gain. Basically run gradual downhill for the beginning half. Then climb for a quarter mile. Then downhill back to the finish. Repeat as often as you want.

This year the event will have swag. Finisher medals for everyone who completes at least one lap. Our swag item will be a custom designed hat from BOCO Gear. I am still working on the designs for the hat. Maybe I will publish an update to this once the swag is designed. There will also be winner award for the overall male and female winners. We will also have age group awards for top male and females in the categories of under 18, Open, and Masters divisions. We will also have a fully stocked aid station accessible each time you complete a lap. And we will have post race old that will be a cookout style picnic. And I will have vegan options available.

I think all my friends both loved me and hated me for putting on this event last year, but I am so excited to be bringing it back again for 2026 and hopefully beyond. If you want to help keep trail running alive in our area register for the event at the link below.

UltraSignup Registration: STRC Trailfest at Newtown Battlefield SP

STRC Trailfest: Sugar Hill

I am most excited for something band new for 2026. STRC is putting on an event that I have been thinking and dreaming about for a long time. I have always loved running the trails in the Sugar Hill State Forest area. There are so many trails from short trails out to a pond to access to the 500+ mile long Finger Lakes Trail.

I have dreamed of having a loop course event here for a while now. Last year I spent time scouting out the trails on a couple of trips and trying to connect them in a loop. And a loop that would be good for a loop course event. I was targeting a 3 mile loop, but ended up finding a good 4 mile loop thanks to my friend who hikes there a lot.

And I was really happy when I proposed the event to the rest of the board at STRC and they gave me the green light to develop the event.

So STRC Trailfest at Sugar Hill was born. This is similar to the Newtown event, but has some major differences. Both are times loop course events. And that is the end of the similarities.

The Sugar Hill event has a 3 hour component like Newtown, but Sugar Hill also has a 6 hour distance and a 12 hour distance. So there are many different ways one can challenge themselves. Try to run your longest distance, or try to run for the longest time you ever have. Or anything in between.

Instead of a 1 mile loop Sugar Hill has a 4 mile loop. And instead of one 300 foot climb at Newtown, Sugar Hill will have a bit more elevation gain around 400-500 ft but it will be spread out over the entire 4 miles of the loop. A little bit of ups and downs everywhere.

This event will also feature some really cold swag. Finisher medals for everyone who completes at least one lap. A swag item of a completely different custom hat from BOCO gear that will be a different style of hat and have a completely different design than Newtown. If you are a hat fiend like me just collect all the hats. And in my opinion BOCO gear has the best most comfort table hat around.

There will be winners awards for the overall male and female winners in each time duration (3,6, and 12 hour). There will also be age. Group awards for those completing the most laps in the categories of under 18, open, and masters.

We will also have a fun cookout going on. Food will be cooking up around the time the 3 hour event is scheduled to finish and be available during the rest of the time the event is going on. There will be vegan options available.

The STRC Trailfest at Sugar Hill event is capped at a total of 100 participants across all the time distances. So, if you really want to be at this event better to sing up sooner rather than later at the link below.

UltraSignup Registration: STRC Trailfest at Sugar Hill

There is camping available at both of these events. Camping at Newtown Battlefield State Park must be made via registration in advance. Camping at Sugar Hill State Forest is available on a first come first serve basis. You just show up and claim an empty camp site.

I am so excited for both of these events and for trail running in our area in general. Please also keep your eyes open as the weather warms up for STRC group trail runs. They are coming. I am so ready to get out there.

I am so happy to be trying to build our running community in general, but especially on the trails. I have made so many friends on the trials. I want you to be able to get out there and build bond with other people on the trials as well. And I want to be friends with all my fellow trail runners. So come out to one of these events so I can meet you and we can be friends.

If you enjoyed this article you can click the link below to support the work I do here or subscribe to my email so you don’t miss out in anything I share.